Women’s volleyball head coach Melanie Sanford announces retirement

Longtime University of Regina women’s volleyball head coach Melanie Sanford announced Wednesday her retirement after 20 years with the University of Regina.

Sanford, a two-time Canada West Coach of the Year, finishes her U of R career with 153 regular season wins and playoff appearances in 13 seasons. The Cougars competed in two national tournaments during her tenure, qualifying for the 2010 CIS Championship in Edmonton and hosting the 2014 CIS Championship in Regina.

Beth Clark (2010), Desiree Ates (2014), and Satomi Togawa (2019) were all named All-Canadians while playing for Sanford, while U of R players accumulated a total of 14 Canada West all-star selections during her tenure.

Sanford’s teams also displayed a commitment to academic success as the Cougars earned 88 Academic All-Canadian selections through the 2020-21 campaign. That number will approach triple digits once grades from this past year are finalized.

“We are grateful for Melanie’s commitment and dedication over the past two decades,” said University of Regina Director of Sport, Community Engagement & Athlete Development Lisa Robertson. “We wish her the best as she transitions into a new chapter in her life.”

Sanford’s retirement is effective mid-August. Robertson expects to confirm plans for the search for Sanford’s successor in the coming weeks.